Sequoiadendron giganteum (giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood, Sierran redwood, or Wellingtonia) is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens (coast redwood) and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (dawn redwood).

 
The common use of the name “sequoia” generally refers to Sequoiadendron giganteum which occurs naturally only in groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. 
 
Giant sequoia is a very popular ornamental tree in many areas. It is successfully grown in most of western and southern Europe, the Pacific Northwest of North America north to southwest British Columbia, the southern United States, southeast Australia, New Zealand and central-southern Chile. It is also grown, though less successfully, in parts of eastern North America.
 
(From Wikipedia on 15.12.13)
 
 


 

 

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The Giant Sequoia tree – the biggest on earth : Attachments (2). 3 posts by 2 authors.       

I am attaching herewith the photohraphs of the giant sequoia tree (General shermon), the largest tree in the world. The photographs were taken in Sequoia National Park, California, USA during my last visit (October).
The photographs are sent in 2 mails- (1) base and (2) trunk.

Here is the extract from Wikipedia on the tree
General Sherman is the name of a Giant Sequoia. It is the most voluminous Giant Sequoia tree in the world: as of 2002, the volume of its trunk measured about 1487 cubic meters. The tree is located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in the United States, east of Visalia, California. The tree is believed to be between 2,300 and 2,700 years old.[1]
It was named after General William Tecumseh Sherman, American Civil War leader, by naturalist James Wolverton in 1879 (Other names for this tree included “Karl Marx” and “Pin Cushion Tree”). Wolverton had served as a Lieutenant in the 9th Indiana Cavalry under Sherman. The tree was identified as the largest in a 1931 dispute with the nearby General Grant tree, after which wood volume was the widely accepted determining factor.[2]
In January 2006 the largest branch on the tree, seen most commonly in older photos as an “L” or “golf club” shape protruding from about 1/4th down the trunk, broke off. No one was present for the incident, but the branch, which had a diameter of over 2 m (6 feet) and a length of over 30 m (100 feet), bigger than most trees, smashed part of the enclosing fence and cratered the walkway pavement surrounding the sequoia. This is not believed to be indicative of any abnormalities with General Sherman’s health, and may even be a natural defense mechanism against adverse weather conditions.[3] The branch loss did not change the General Sherman’s status as the largest tree as its size has been calculated using measurements of trunk volume, excluding branches.
The General Sherman tree is the largest non-clonal organism in the world.
Height above base[4]
274.9 ft 83.8 m
Circumference at ground[4]
102.6 ft 31.3 m
Maximum diameter at base[4]
36.5 ft 11.1 m
Diameter 4.5 ft (1.4 m) above height point on ground[5]
25.1 ft 7.7 m
Diameter 60 ft (18 m) above base[4]
17.5 ft 5.3 m
Diameter 180 ft (55 m) above base[4]
14.0 ft 4.3 m
Diameter of largest branch[4]
6.8 ft 2.1 m
Height of first large branch above the base[4]
130.0 ft 39.6 m
Average crown spread[4]
106.5 ft 32.5 m
Estimated bole volume[5]
52,508 cu ft 1,487 m3


The second set of photographs of the the Giant Sequoia tree (Sequoiadendron giganteum): General sherman tree in Sequoia National park, California, USA


… super tree !!!
Thanks for sharing information.


 

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Gymnosperms Fortnight :: Cupressaceae from Kew Gardens :: MK004 : Attachments (5). 3 posts by 3 authors.  
Name: Sequioadendron giganteum (Lindl.) J. Buchholz

Synonym: Sequioa gigantea

Family: Cupressaceae
English: Giant Sequioa
IUCN status: Endangered
Date: 28 March 2011
Place: Kew Gardens, UK


You seemed to have mixed up two photographs of Sequoia sempervirens (first and fifth, twigs with leaves).
Sequoia sempervirens is the among the tallest trees where as Sequoiadendrom giganteum is one with largest girth.


 

 

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2 posts by 2 authors.
Sequoiadendron giganteum (Lind.) Buchh.,
A huge tree with trunk often many metres in diameter, up to 80 m tall, with small appressed leaves; female cones up to 8 cm long.
Photographed from Sunnyvale, California.


This species is believed to be the most massive and tallest on earth. Thank you for showing it here. 


 

 
 
 
 

References:

The Plant List  Wikipedia

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